Renowned producer and theatre owner Listin Stephen comments on the controversy surrounding Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran's Empuraan.

(Credit: Facebook/@ListinStephenOnline)

Even as the controversy over its content continues to simmer, actor Prithviraj Sukumaran's third directorial venture, Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan, maintains its top position at the box office. After entering the Rs 200 crore club in just five days, Empuraan is on its way to become the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever - a record currently held by Chidambaram's sensational survival thriller Manjummel Boys (2024).

Despite the movie being plagued by controversies, most industry insiders have remained conveniently silent until now. The only organisation to extend solidarity with the biggest movie in Malayalam cinema history is the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), which issued a public statement after four days of controversy. Meanwhile, renowned producer, theatre owner and Kerala Film Producers' Association (KFPA) treasurer Listin Stephen has now come forward to denounce the targeted attacks on Prithviraj Sukumaran, which, according to him, will cause harm to the movie industry as a whole.

In a lengthy post on Facebook, Listin also stated that Empuraan marks a watershed moment in the history of Malayalam cinema's box office collections. He also extended solidarity to Prithviraj, with whom he shares a personal friendship. "Empuraan is soaring high, disregarding the age-old 'rule' that Malayalam cinema can only work with small budgets. This is not just the excitement of a fanboy; it is a testament from a theatre owner. Empuraan is flying towards the milestone of the biggest collection ever in Kerala, opening up the possibility of dreaming big in both art and business. At a time when we should be saluting and congratulating the efforts of a great team, targeting its captain will not only harm the person but also the film industry. There can be discussions and disagreements, but without mockery," he noted.

"Prithviraj, consider and approach this (the controversy) as something minor that all trailblazers have to face. Those who love and support cinema are with you. Because, from now on, our small Kerala will compete with other languages. Prithviraj, you've faced such negligence before, so this is nothing new! Every Friday, several movies are released, but only one goes on to become Empuraan. See cinema as cinema alone. The collection numbers in Malayalam cinema will now be divided into two: before Empuraan and after Empuraan," he added.